Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/tag/ff11/rss.xml
https://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif?cachebust=trueEngadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/tag/ff11/rss.xml
en-usEngadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronicsCopyright 2018 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.https://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/02/the-mog-log-extra-end-of-an-era/https://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/02/the-mog-log-extra-end-of-an-era/https://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/02/the-mog-log-extra-end-of-an-era/#comments

By now you know.

I wrote my first column of The Mog Log almost exactly five years ago. I've been writing it for the entirety of Final Fantasy XIV's run now. I've been talking about the online Final Fantasy games since before I was married, and it's been a wonderful experience. I had every intention of continuing to do so for another decade. As long as there was a place to talk about it here, I was going to make use of it.

This isn't just a farewell for the column; it's a farewell for something that's made up a huge portion of my life and changed my life in huge ways. As the fall comes to Eorzea, it also comes to us, and I wanted -- insisted -- that I would at least get to have one final chance to say goodbye. So let's take one last look together before we say farewell.
]]>
answersconsoleconsolesculturefantasyfarewellfeaturedffff11ff14ffxiffxivfinalfinal fantasy xifinal fantasy xivfinal-columnfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivfinalitygoodbyemog-logopinionretrospectivesquaresquare-enixsquenixsubscriptionsunsetthe mog logthe-mog-logMon, 02 Feb 2015 10:00:00 -0500319|21135568https://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/final-fantasy-xi-drops-a-new-patch-for-the-new-year/https://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/final-fantasy-xi-drops-a-new-patch-for-the-new-year/https://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/final-fantasy-xi-drops-a-new-patch-for-the-new-year/#comments

Another year has come to Final Fantasy XI, and it brings with it a new year's version update with a host of new improvements. From a system standpoint, players can now equip two linkshells at the same time, complete with two separate chat modes. The game will also allow players to send tells and invite other players by clicking their names in the log window rather than relying purely upon text commands.

In terms of content, new quests have been added to Adoulin regions, several Records of Eminence objectives have either been added or had their requirements lowered, and new Wanted objectives have been implemented. Puppetmaster players can also benefit from improved spell lists for their automaton and a new set of automaton improvements. Take a gander at the full list of changes, all of which should make the game less punishing and more engaging for veteran players.

"When we first created the new year's event, we never imagined that it would ever come full circle, and thus the festivities are especially moving for me," writes Producer Akihiko Matsui.

To celebrate the new year, the team posted a short story on the site and is in the midst of a sheep-related new year's event. Players are encouraged to "consort and cavort" with sheep for prizes until the event ends on January 14th.

Square-Enix has released its summary of 2014's finances with the start of the new year, and the good news is that it looks pretty rosy. According to the summary of the financial year that ended in March of 2014, the company's fortunes had improved immensely. Of more specific interest to the MMO market, of course, is the fact that the report gives some idea of the subscribers for Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XI, and the currently Japan-only title Dragon Quest X.

According to the report, all three titles together boasted "nearly" one million subscribers, with the lion's share likely belonging to Final Fantasy XIV. Specifics are not discussed, nor does the report clarify whether these subscriber numbers are from the end of the financial year in March or the end of the calendar year in December (we assume the former). The most recent official word from Square-Enix was 2.5 million registered accounts for FFXIV in December 2014.

It's not too often that I see Final Fantasy XI (yes, XI) screenshots tossed my way, but I have to say that this one is right up there with its MMO successor. This landscape is also very much in line with the current season in the northern hemisphere.

"Here is the seemingly serene zone of Al'Taieu in the sea, which is only accessible after doing part of the Promathia storyline," reader Ben submitted. Is it so serene that one might freeze to death while admiring its tranquil beauty?

Want to be featured in a future edition of One Shots? Send your favorite MMO screenshots to oneshots@massively.com, and don't forget to include your name, the name of the game, and a description of the scene. Large, colorful, UI-free shots that tell a story and really show off the game make for the best images. Look ma, we brought back One Shots!
]]>
bring-back-one-shotsculturefantasyffff11ffxifinal fantasy xifinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-xigalleriesgallerymiscellaneousone shotsone-shotspics-or-it-didnt-happenreader-screenshotsreader-submissionsscreenshotscreenshotssquaresquare-enixuser-submissionsTue, 23 Dec 2014 10:00:00 -0500319|21005211https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/08/the-mog-log-a-tourist-in-final-fantasy-xi/https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/08/the-mog-log-a-tourist-in-final-fantasy-xi/https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/08/the-mog-log-a-tourist-in-final-fantasy-xi/#comments

I don't write much about Final Fantasy XI in this column, but those with some knowledge of its history know that wasn't always the case. There are long stretches of the column that have focused on Final Fantasy XI's trials and tribulations. It's just that as I've said many times over, there's not a whole lot of point to talking about FFXI on a regular basis now. While Final Fantasy XIV keeps getting bigger and better, FFXI is slowly and quietly declining.

But that doesn't mean you can't take a trip back.

A few weeks back, my wife and a dear friend floated the idea that the three of us could try heading back to Final Fantasy XI, exploring the game from the start, completely fresh all over again. It would be very different from how it had been before. And true to form, it certainly has been. The game is very different now from the one I remember, and it's interesting to look at why, even from the perspective of someone just about to hit 20 for the first time on a single class.
]]>
consoleconsolesfantasyfeaturedffff11ffxifinal fantasy xifinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-xigame mechanicsgame-mechanicslevelinglevelsmog-logoldold-gamesolder-titlesopinionsquaresquare-enixsquenixsubscriptionthe mog logthe-mog-logtourtourismMon, 08 Dec 2014 12:00:00 -0500319|21003939https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/07/the-end-is-coming-to-final-fantasy-xi-seekers-of-adoulin/https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/07/the-end-is-coming-to-final-fantasy-xi-seekers-of-adoulin/https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/07/the-end-is-coming-to-final-fantasy-xi-seekers-of-adoulin/#comments

All good things must come to an end. So it goes for Final Fantasy XI's most recent expansion, Seekers of Adoulin, which will be wrapping up its story in the version update going live next week. Players will be pitched into a final battle to determine the fate of the land, lest darkness overtake it... and it probably won't. These stories don't usually end with the heroes totally failing, after all. It'd be a downer back in Jeuno.

The rewards available for clearing the main scenario include a special coat and matching gloves as well as a dozen different rings that should prove quite useful for filling out any player's equipment sets. Tanking, dealing damage, using pets, and even crafting can be improved through use of these rings, giving players more than enough incentive to see the story through to the end. Along with finishing out the story as a whole, too, that's incentive.

Final Fantasy XI is dangling quite a few incentives for adventurers considering a return to Vana'diel. First up is the Idyllic Vana'diel campaign, which begins on November 10th. You'll get login prizes, double XP, and more.

There's also a discount campaign, which features substantial price reductions on everything from the Seekers of Adoulin expansion pack to the FFXI Ultimate Collection Seeker's Edition. Finally, don't forget about the Adventurer Appreciation campaign, which rewards players who had active accounts between September 1st and October 31st.

If you were looking for another reason to get together with your fellow Final Fantasy XI players for riches and glory, the new Unity Concord System is for you. These upcoming NPC-based factions, each run by one of Vana'diel's more popular personages, come complete with special tasks, rewards, and even rankings.

Membership in a Unity will have its privileges: Each one has a special chat channel as well as new Records of Eminence objectives that allow you to earn a new currency called accolades. These accolades can be spent on participating in the new "Wanted" objectives (where players are given the task to defeat a specific monster), buying special items, enhancing equipment looted from the Wanted battles, and more. Once a week the Unities will be ranked based on points accumulated by members; the higher a Unity is ranked, the better the equipment players can earn from the wanted objectives. And that's only the beginning. Devs note that even more systems and content related to the Unity Concord are scheduled to be added in future updates.

If you're an avidFinal Fantasy XI player and you've missed your Wings of the Goddess characters, you'll be happy to know that you're getting a big dose of nostalgia in the game's most recent update. A new quest has been added that allows Summoners to call forth Atomos and everyone to summon Lilisette's Alter Ego, provided that you've already finished off the Wings of the Goddess missions. And that's only the metaphorical tip of the iceberg.

The October update also rolls out new battlefields pitting players against Ifrit Prime, Shiva Prime, Titan Prime, Ramuh Prime, Garuda Prime, and Leviathan Prime at a higher level of difficulty. There are also several job improvements, including wide-scale buffs to pets over level 100, weapon skill improvements (such as Puppetmasters getting an A+ rank in Fists), and other assorted buffs (Ninja shuriken are now far more attractive and usable). Take a look at the full update notes for more fixes, improvements, and general buffs.

If you once walked the fields of Vana'diel in Final Fantasy XI but haven't been back in some time, you've missed a lot of updates. The game's run for 13 years now, after all; whenever you stopped playing, it's likely a lot of new content awaits you. And if you've got the hankering to check back in and see if it's how you remember, you can do so for a week. Completely free.

Until September 17th, former players can log in for free and explore all of the content available in the game. Players will need to transfer their old PlayOnline IDs to Square-Enix IDs if they have not done so already. A promotional video has also been released, detailing some of the changes made to the game for its current incarnation. So if you've got a hankering to step back into the world of Vana'diel, now might be the time to do so.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to log in to Final Fantasy XI and start your weapons. Assuming they need to be started, anyway; they probably don't require a ripcord or anything. The point is that the game has just released its September version update, which brings with it several new forms of battle content. Obviously the addition of the Incursion battle is the biggest addition, but Surge Walks and Endowed Walks are now available in the Walk of Echoes, giving players that much more to tear through in battle.

Rune fencers, dragoons, dancers, blue mages, and beastmasters have also undergone some job changes, while alter egos have been buffed with the inclusion of "killer" traits and some individual buffs. As always, there's a lot of other content in the patch and several quality-of-life adjustments; if you're enjoying your time in Vana'diel, it would make sense to check out the full patch notes to see all the details. While you're waiting for your weapon to start, maybe.

Ready to strike against the heart of the Velkk kingdom in Final Fantasy XI? The new Incursion system will allow players to do just that, rewarding combatants with experience points, capacity points, and of course, plenty of loot. The dungeon can also scale its difficulty upward, posing an ever-greater challenge for larger groups and more experienced players alike. All players need are Velkk Fetishes looted from Marjami Ravine, with a minimum of six people allowed in; monster HP will increase for larger groups.

Once inside, players will have 45 minutes to tackle the battles within, including six Notorious Monsters wandering the area. Collecting key items from those Notorious Monsters will allow players to face a harder version of the Incursion the next time around, improving rewards all around for a successful clear. Check out the full preview for all of the details on how to take the fight to the heart of enemy territory.

This fall marks Final Fantasy XI's 12th anniversary, and as part of the lead up to the celebration, former players are invited back for a free week of play! Dubbed the Return Home to Vana'diel Campaign, the event lets all players who have ever previously paid for a subscription to FFXI return from Wednesday, September 10th, at 11:00 p.m. EDT, to Wednesday, September 17th, at 10:59 a.m. EDT. To be eligible, accounts must either be currently canceled or have the "To be Canceled" status as of September 8th at 10:59 a.m. EDT.

Starting at the same time but lasting a week longer are special discount offers for everyone. Until 10:59 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the 23rd, players can grab the following digital downloads and services for significant savings:

All deal are through the the Square Enix e-Store. If you've wanted to get back into the game to see what has changed or want to pick it up and check Vana'diel out yourself, this is a good opportunity to dive in.

At long last, players in Final Fantasy XI won't need to use macros to handle gear-swapping; the game's August update adds an equipment set manager to let you swap sets easily and painlessly. Oh, and it adds new Seekers of Adoulin missions as well as a variety of other content, so that's nice. But really, no equipment-swapping macros any more -- that alone should change people's lives.

The update also adds Alluvion Skirmishes, new alter egos, and new NPCs to direct players toward quests, tutorials, and maps. Players will also benefit from a variety of job balance improvements and new ways to spend job points, not to mention the addition of new items as both craftable items and battle rewards. Whether you've been playing the game for a long time or just started jumping into it recently, there's plenty to enjoy within the update, and it can be downloaded now.

The studio promised that it will be moving toward the conclusion of the Seekers of Adoulin storyline with this month's patch. Players will also get to fiddle with equipment sets, which allow characters to have and swap multiple gear loadouts at will.

The big announcement is the addition of Alluvion skirmishes. These take place in "an ever-changing labyrinth" that will reward new customizable weapons to the fortunate. This update will go into effect on August 12th, but in the meanwhile you can check out its trailer after the break!

Alluvion Skirmishes are the next evolution of skirmish battles for Final Fantasy XI players, pitting adventurers against a changing layout and shifting foes. Why would you take it on? Well, for a chance at great items and shields, naturally. Did you really expect otherwise? And, you know, for content that accommodates a variety of different party sizes and roles, that's nice too.

Players can take on Alluvion Skirmishes solo or in groups containing up to six players; Alter Egos are usable to fill out a party's ranks. The NPC Oston will assemble a special statue called a eudamon for players who can then enter through the pre-existing Augural Conveyers, with Rala Waterways and Cirdas Caverns being the first pair to function with Alluvion Skirmishes. For more details on time limits and inscribing shields with Arcane Glyptics, take a look at the full preview on the official site.

Final Fantasy XI's upcoming June update will see a gaggle of new quests for the city of Adoulin. According to official word from Square Enix, players will "find out more about the Order of Janniston's struggles with a young man who suddenly fell ill in 'Sick and Tired,' and they'll witness the struggles of Cid's son Midras as he researches new ways to grow vegetables on the Ulbukan continent in 'Vegetable Vegetable Crisis.' Experience a different side of Adoulin with these and other serial tales!"

The June update is scheduled to drop tomorrow, June 17th. You can find out more info on the official forums.

Right now through May 31st, Amazon is throwing a truly massive Digital Game Mayhem sale. For MMO gamers, this means that you can get many titles, upgrades, and point codes for a good discount. Here are a few of the offerings:

You there! Are you ready for Final Fantasy XI's May version update? Are you ready for all of it? Do you know everything that's in it? Because there's a lot of stuff in there, as listed in the patch notes and as revealed in the official trailer just past the break. Sure, you could probably guess at the inclusion of new Seekers of Adoulin missions and more high-level battlefields, but there's a lot more in there.

For example, new alter egos are being added to the Trust system, including everyone's favorite limit break questgiver, Maat. Adventuring fellows get a level cap bump to 99, new Abyssea objectives are being introduced, new Job Point categories are being added... heck, there's even new food in place that can affect your pet. That's a lot of good stuff. Maybe you should watch the trailer past the break, read the patch notes, and get ready for the full update to go live on May 15th.

Writers and geeks alike can't seem to get enough of time travel, although the ratio of horribly crafted time travel tales to fun and smart ones is pretty lopsided. I've come to realize that MMOs are positively littered with ways that players are invited to jump around the internal timeline of the game, and I wanted to share a few of them in this week's countdown.

When you think about it, the proliferation of time travel quests makes a lot of sense from a developer viewpoint. There is a ton of lore that goes into each one of these virtual worlds, but for the most part the players are affixed to a very specific (and unmoving) point in time. Hopping about in time is a great way to experience other eras and actually see history instead of just reading it in a quest box. Plus, if done right, these quests can be quite memorable.
]]>
city of heroescity-of-heroescoheq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquest iieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedffff11ffxifinal fantasy xifinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-xiflashbackfree-to-playguild warsguild-warsgwenhumorlord of the rings onlinelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromiscellaneousopinionp10perfect tenperfect-10perfect-tenriftrounduprunescapesoesonysony-online-entertainmentsquaresquare-enixstar trek onlinestar-trek-onlinestothe secret worldthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenthe-secret-worldtime-traveltop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtswworld of warcraftworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 10 May 2014 12:00:00 -0400319|20871112https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/03/17/final-fantasy-xi-getting-ah-bid-history-merit-point-changes-an/https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/03/17/final-fantasy-xi-getting-ah-bid-history-merit-point-changes-an/https://massively.joystiq.com/2014/03/17/final-fantasy-xi-getting-ah-bid-history-merit-point-changes-an/#comments

Final Fantasy XI's March update is bringing a bit more user friendliness to the world of Vana'diel. A post on the game's official forums notes that the patch will allow combat and magic skills to be increased in Reive battles. Additionally, the amount of merit points necessary to gain entry into high-tier battlefields is being reduced.

The game's auction house will feature new bid history options, too! Click through the links below to read further details.

The latest bit of Final Fantasy XI fan service takes the form of Cait Sith. More specifically, FFXI Summoners are getting a Cait Sith avatar which will offer various types of magic damage as well as anti-wipe spells like raise and re-raise.

ZAM reports on a new Caith Sith acquisition quest, which requires that players complete the Wings of the Goddess "A Token of Troth" mission. More details are available on the FFXI forums.